REGINA, July 17, 2009 - On behalf of the Honourable James Moore, Minister of Canadian Heritage and Official Languages, Ray Boughen, Member of Parliament (Palliser), today announced funding for the Saskatchewan Publishers Group. This funding will assist the group in promoting and supporting Saskatchewan book publishers and Canadian books.
"Our Government is proud to support organizations like the Saskatchewan Publishers Group that are developing a variety of activities to promote book publishers here in Saskatchewan and across Canada," said Minister Moore. "With these investments, we are contributing to a more viable and prolific book publishing industry in Canada."
"I am pleased that Minister Moore and the Government of Canada are providing this targeted funding to help support our publishing industry," said Mr. Boughen. "A strong Saskatchewan publishing industry helps the local economy and benefits our province's reading public."
"The Saskatchewan Publishers Group membership, which represents the interests of seventy publishing firms, greatly appreciates the ongoing promotional and marketing support provided by the Book Publishing Industry Development Program," said Darren R. Préfontaine, President of the Saskatchewan Publishers Group. "This invaluable program has been a vital component of the Saskatchewan book-publishing industry, and has been an integral factor in the success of many, if not most, of the 100 books published each year in the province of Saskatchewan."
The Saskatchewan Publishers Group is a non-profit organization representing Saskatchewan publishers and is dedicated to promoting the Saskatchewan book publishing industry. Saskatchewan publishers produce award-winning, high-quality, and professionally designed and printed books by writers from Saskatchewan, the Prairies, other parts of Canada, and the rest of the world.
The Government of Canada has provided funding of $29,325 under the Collective Initiatives component of the Department of Canadian Heritage's Book Publishing Industry Development Program. This component supports the Canadian book industry to build the skills and tools necessary to ensure its ongoing strength, viability, and capacity to invest in the development and promotion of Canadian books.
For more information on the Book Publishing Industry Development Program, visit www.pch.gc.ca/pgm/padie-bpidp/index-eng.cfm.
Deirdra McCracken
Director of Communications
Office of the Minister of Canadian Heritage and Official Languages
819-997-7788
deirdra.mccracken@pch.gc.ca
Media Relations
Canadian Heritage
819-994-9101
1-866-569-6155
